Minister for Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu today said that the issue of giving Leader of Opposition (LoP) status is before the Lok Sabha Speaker and everyone must abide by the presiding officer's decision. Addressing a party meeting in Hydrabad Naidu referred to the comments of some Congress leaders that they would go to court if the LoP position is denied to the party and said the matter is to be decided in the people's court. He said Speaker's decision should be adhered to and let's see how the Speaker decides. Naidu added that there was no Opposition Leader during Nehru regime, Indira Gandhi's era or in Rajiv Gandhi's rule.

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath today told a TV channel that if the Speaker rules against Congress on the Leader of Opposition issue, it would be right and proper for the Congress to go to the court. He insisted that there is no rule, which says that a party cannot get Leader of Opposition status unless it has 10 per cent of the total strength of the 543-member Lok Sabha. Mr. Nath said that while the Speaker is generally neutral when it comes to dealing with Parliamentary processes, but it may be different in a contentious situation. He contended that Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's decision on the issue could be flavoured by BJP and Narendra Modi.